Police officers cornered by protesters in Kitengela/SCREENGRABTension gripped Kitengela as anti-riot police officers found themselves cornered by angry protesters along Mwireri Road during the ongoing demonstrations.
A video seen by the Star shows at least three officers, fully armed and in anti-riot gear, being overwhelmed and forced to retreat after coming under a barrage of stones hurled by the demonstrators.
The officers, initially trying to hold their ground, attempted to take cover as the situation intensified.
However, the protestors—largely composed of youth—continued to advance, shouting slogans and throwing stones.
With no immediate backup in sight, the police were eventually forced to flee the area on foot, as the demonstrators chased after them.
Several regions across the country have encountered intensified protests, which have seen police lob teargas.
Some of the counties where protests were witnessed include Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru, Kisii, Kitengela town in Machakos, Nyeri and Eldoret.
Police in Mombasa were forced to lob teargas canisters to disperse protesting youth on Wednesday, following a four-hour peaceful demonstration in memory of those killed during last year’s anti-Finance Bill protests.
The demonstrators had peacefully marched through Moi Avenue, Digo Road, Jomo Kenyatta Avenue, Ronald Ngala Road, and Abdel Nasser Road, eventually returning to the town centre.
Tensions escalated when the group moved down Nkurumah Road toward the Mombasa County Commissioner’s office, which also leads to State House, Mombasa, where tens of police officers had been stationed to block further access.
In Kisii, protestors engaged police in running battles are they lit bonfires on the roads.
In Eldoret, hundreds of youth took to the streets to participate in the Gen Z protests.
The protests started at the Eldoret main market as the youths went round the streets. Hundreds of police officers were quickly deployed as businesses were shut down.
